iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I am so excited to announce that I won first place in Fiction Potluck with #writersworkout! You can read my winning story here! www.writersworkout.net/post/26q3-1-...

A green circle with three yellow stars inside. Words around the stars say "2026 Fiction Potluck WINNER" Under the stars it says "The Writers Workout

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Good News! I did a thing! I wrote something and someone aside from myself enjoyed it!

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Reposted by Michelle Dornish

Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

What is happening this summer at Pen & Pier? So glad you asked. The links you'll need: discord.gg/tA8yG7WQU (invite link) and Penandpier.com

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

I'm participating in the Anti-Fascist Write-athon on the Fourth of July. Will you consider making a donation to root me on and to support the Antifa Lit Journal? Donate here: www.notapipepublishing.com/antifascist-writeathon and be sure to put my name in. Thanks!

notapipepublishing.com

Anti-Fascist Write-athon — Not a Pipe Publishing

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

"Stuck With You" ranked 8th out of 37 in your House and has reached the Final Showdown!

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Is this the place where you have enough space to grow, or will you inevitably need to wander far from me to be truly free?

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Hard, yet brittle, core to my being and keeps me standing in the harshest of times, my values, the bones of my soul and being.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Each day left to marvel at your growth, your skills, your wonder and boldness, leaves me in awe that you are mine and I made you.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

My wants, my needs, my sanity, my tranquility --all is not lost, they are merely hidden.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Like I am some trained pet to be called to heed, your expectation of blind obedience offends me.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Brilliant hues, sunshine butter rich and warm, you seek to thrive and endure with so little attention; I fear in this garden, even you may be starved.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Ring and I shall seek, All over this house, Determined to find you, Always under foot, Ready for any attention you deign to give.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

With this ring our lives intertwine, for better, for worse, despite all harsh realities and weathering the storm of painful indifference --I do.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Any discerning eye can see the flaw has worsened and the crack now threatens to swallow us whole --if only we had seen it sooner.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

As you burst into the world, your color brightens, and mine starts to decay -- still I rejoice at your coming!

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I think I went to the same daycare

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

@foodvisor.bsky.social I have been tracking my macros and trying to eat a more balanced plate using Foodvisor So far I'm sleeping better, have more energy, and was able to cut sugar out of my coffee (which I would have said was impossible!) I feel a lot tighter and the numbers are heading down!

A pie chart showing percentage of fats, proteins, carbs, and fibers eaten over the last 30 days. The goal is 43% fat and I've consumed 41%, goal for protein is 24% and I have consumed 23%, goal for carbs is 27% and I've consumed 33%, finally the goal for fiber is 4% and I have consumed 4%.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

I'll be here today! From 4-5:45! I know many will stay till 7 which I will be sad to miss! But glad to stop by

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

"The Brown Noser", has reached the Final Showdown. Congratulations on making it this far. I've been doing the writing battles for about a year and this is the furthest I have gone! So excited 😆

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👻Michael J. Riser𖤐🧊❌👑 @michaeljriser.com · 12/01/2026

One of my first reads of the year is a little anthology called Rough Seas & Strange Yarns, co-edited by my good friend @uteorgassa.bsky.social, comprised of members of her group, Pen & Pier. You can find the book here: www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S... 1/🧵

The cover of Rough Seas & Strange Yarns: A Pen & Pier Anthology. It shows a sea, with waves crashing upon rocks and gentle lapping against sad, seemingly a composite of two pictures so that the sand is at the top of the cover, and the crashing waves at the bottom. The spray from the waves is superimposed over a golden yellow background that looks almost like the golden hues of an ale. In the upper-middle area of the cover, the title appears in bold white letters. At the bottom is the subtitle, and shows that it's edited by Ute Orgassa, Michelle Dornish, and Katherine Bonn.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Welp here is to throwing my hat in the ring! I submitted to the @Uncharted_Mag_ Novel Excerpt Prize! Publication + $3k! Details here: www.unchartedmag.com

unchartedmag.com

Home - Uncharted

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

This story stuck with me for a while after, certainty worth a read!

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

If you want to read the full story, you can order our anthology 'Rough Seas & Strange Yarns' here: www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S...

A drawing of a room with a painting on a wall and an open guitar case on the floor, overlaid with text. The text reads:

The Mule And The Magpie
By Kevin Carver

Entering, I stand there side by side with him, looking at everything he owns, all that's left. There's an air mattress with a sleeping bag. Some bent cardboard boxes overflowing with clothes. A TV without a stand. My eyes dart to a hard shell guitar case leaning against a wall. Above the case I scan the walls and find mostly nail holes, but I eventually stop at a painting. Ocean waves crashing into rocks on canvas. "Okay," I say. "Give me 10 minutes." "And there's some junk in the kitchenNot junk, you know what I mean. Good stuff." I nod, wanting him to leave. "I'll double check every room and cupboard. 10 minutes. You can wait outside.

"I need a smoke anyway."

Benny leaves. I'm sure his face shows suspicion, but I make it a point not to see it. I wait. When I hear the front door open and close I pull latex gloves out of my back pocket and begin.

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Today is the day! Happy book birthday to our very own anthology! You can order your hard copies and your kindle copies here: www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S...

A poster, in blue color, advertising the anthology. On top it says: Finally available for purchase! Then comes a picture of the book cover. Which is an inverted picture of an ocean wave crashing on a rock with orange sunlight at the bottom. The title read: Rough Seas & Strange Yarns. On the bottom of the cover it says: A Pen & Pier Anthology Edited by Ute Orgassa, Michelle Dornish, And Katherine Bonn. Under the book cover it reads: Click Here To Buy Your Copy Today

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

If you want to read the whole story, it is in our anthology 'Rough Seas & Strange Yarns', which you can preorder here: www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S...

A painting of the ocean at sunset with an island in the background and some coral in the foreground. Overlaid with text saying:

Into the Depths
By Michelle Dornish
"I need to find a way out," Rachel whispered to herself, her heart fluttering with fear again.
"Why are you in a rush?"
The male voice startled her so much that she screamed aloud, but her shout didn't echo in the small space. In fact, the scream was soaked up by the coral so that the sound ended much sooner than she would have expected.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you maiden," the voice continued.
Rachel spun toward the voice, toward the pool of water, and her eyes locked with the smiling, boyish face of a man with toned arms, resting on the edge of the coral. He set his chin on his folded arms, his wet hair long enough that he had to jerk his head slightly to move the dark strands from his eyes. She couldn't help but linger on his eyes, a startling shade of gray, not unlike a stormy sea. A sparkle of mirth in them that made her feel nervous.
What was making him so happy exactly?

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

If you want to read the full story, you can preorder the digital copy of our anthology 'Rough Seas & Strange Yarns' for one more day and then order both digital and hard copy, starting tomorrow! www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S...

Image of waving kelp in the ocean overlaid with text. The text reads:

The Sacrifice
By ute Orgassa

The steady rain lasted all night. Imogen woke in the early morning hours to a bone-marrow-freezing scream. It was followed by faint splashing. Then quiet, underscored only by the constant tapping of raindrops on the roof.

There was no going back to sleep after that. Imogen tried to convince herself that it had been a dream, a nightmare, but she knew better. The Creature was awake again, after all those years, preying, finding victims in the night. It was filled with wrath and hunger.

Imogen understood both. It used to be a god. It used to be worshipped, celebrated, plied with offerings of good fish and the occasional land animal. It used to have its own day.

Not anymore.

Gray text in the lower right corner reads: Photo:: sarcastic.cat.creative@gmail.com

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

After a year of working hard with my writing fam @penandpier.bsky.social the anthology is finally on its way!! Thanks to everyone in P&P who helped make this possible!!

A picture of the "order placed" screen on Amazon showing that a copy of Rough Seas and Strange Yarns" will be sent to Michelle Dornish on Saturday November 29th.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Omg! I recognize that byline 🥰

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

If you want to read the whole story, it is in our our anthology 'Rough Seas & Strange Yarns' which you can preorder here: www.amazon.com/Rough-Seas-S...

A picture with mostly red text and three pencil drawn sailing ships. The text reads: The Best Captain in The World By Barbara Swihart Miller A competition ensues when two sea captains clash. Who will win? A humorous YA story. "Remember what happened to the last asshole, Strawberry? He ended up in Davie Jones' Locker!" The girls broke out in riotous laughter. " Don't be a fool!" Umbri protested. "No one has ever beaten Blurr! He is the fiercest pirate to ever sail the seas!" " He doesn't even have any facial hair! Goldie, back me up on this! He can't have been sailing for more than a year. I doubt he has even blooded his saber!" "Or fired his pistol!" "Either pistol!"

Under neath in gray text it says: Excerpted from Rough Seas & Strange Yarns, a Pen & Pier anthology.

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

I'm in this! Also helped put the book together! Very proud of this collaboration with my writing family at @penandpier.bsky.social

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

A strangely familiar name this week on the @penandpier.bsky.social channel!!

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

This week is National School Psychologist week and I need to give a shout out to every school psychologist I have worked with in my last decade as a special educator. Each of you has inspired me to pursue my own doctorate and become a school psychologist myself! #SchoolPsychWeek #NASP #Capella

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

A little primer from us about editing: substack.com/home/post/p-...

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

I agree! I feel like every year this event gets better and better! Counting the days till next year already!

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Pen & Pier @penandpier.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Pen & Pier to me is a place to hone my writing craft. I can tap into the experience and genius of the group to improve on my work. Whether I am getting or giving a critique, I always learn something! –Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Hey y'all! My writing group is publishing an anthology and I am so stoked! We are currently looking for ARC readers. If you like short stories of various genres then please fill out this survey! Looking at end of 2025 for our release! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Hanging out with @uteorgassa.bsky.social and @kevincarver.bsky.social at our Pen&Pier writing conference this weekend in SLO and 5 Cities! Got to make a book last night. Today is writing and marketing!

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Michelle Dornish @mdornish.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Check out this amazing anthology of modern mummy stories! I am reading some rave reviews, and I happen to know at least one of the stories is to die for! @uteorgassa.bsky.social, talking about you! excavatinghorror.com/2025/08/15/m...

excavatinghorror.com

Modern Mummies (2025)

At the beginning of the year, I noticed that Cat Eye Press was soliciting stories for a new collection. The theme was “modern mummies” and I have to admit that I was skeptical until I r…

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